While Alcest has been on a roll since 2005 recording and releasing some great stuff. Displaying their one of a kind sound (at the time of their debut it was original), that seemingly fuses Black Metal, Post-Rock and Shoegaze. It wasn't until their third full-length that they perfected it. From opener "Autre Temps" to closing track "Summer's Glory", "Les Voyages De L'Ame" shows Neige's songwriting at it most dynamic and captivating for its entire duration. The songs don't just seem to float along going nowhere like they did on "Souvenirs D'Un Autre Monde". Or lose their consistency like the second half of "Ecailles De Lune". ( I like those records quite a bit as well I might add) Instead each of the seven tracks (minus the interlude) go from beautiful moments of atmospheric shoegazing ambiance to blast beat frenzies in a blink of an eye. This record is the perfect summation of everything that is Alcest and will easily remain the band's career benchmark.

02. Royal Thunder - CVI
(Relapse Records)

Here's my review for the album here I just want to add this:
Sometimes you need to see a band live for their music to truly click with you. That was the case with me and Atlanta's Royal Thunder after seeing them headline in July. Hearing each of these songs except "Shake and Shift" and "South of Somewhere" left me completely floored and speechless. I already had liked the album a great deal, but after that night it was brought to a whole new level of adoration. This is an amazing debut for the next brightest star in the Atlanta/Savannah metal scene. You have Remission, The Red Album, Time Will Fuse It's Worth, now CVI.

The flawless debut from traditional doom metal band Pallbearer is the greatest album to be released in 2012. The young band from Arkansas has achieved not only a startlingly mature sound on "Sorrow and Extinction" but a diverse and unique one as well. Somber melodic lead guitars weave through the powerful dirge like rhyhthm section. With Brett Campbell's powerful voice and the well placed gorgeous acoustic bridges (as in the final minutes of An Offering of Grief) only enhancing the already tremendous instrumentation on display. The albums five tracks also contain traces and hints of psychedelic rock, progressive rock and sludge metal. This keeps the rather long songs from stagnating as they're always changing pace and form. As seen in one of the album highlights "Devoid of Redemption", when the songs breaks down into a completely punishing sludge driven groove. Or in the other album's highlight, the epic closer "Given To The Grave". Where old school keyboards and synths lead the charge before gut-rattling doom riffs seemingly bust in out of nowhere giving way to a somber jam ridden proggy finish with the finest solo I've heard this year.

Yeah it has three fantastic breathtaking tracks the other five are rather bland. Pig Destroyer and UFOmammut for me really should be lower top 20. Krallice while great is not better than Ash Borer. Which ended up landing in #12 on my revised list.